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Edited by: Fern Sidman
A Broadway theater producer has found himself at the center of a controversy after being caught on film tearing down posters depicting Israeli hostages taken by Hamas terrorists during a massacre of 1400 people in Israel, as was reported by the New York Post.
In a video shared online by the neighborhood blog “I Love the Upper West Side,” James L. Simon, a Broadway producer known for his involvement in the 2022 revival of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” was captured on camera removing a poster featuring one of the approximately 229 hostages taken during the October 7th surprise attack on Israel, the Post reported. The incident occurred at the intersection of West 62nd Street and Broadway.
In the footage, Simon can be seen using scissors to cut down the poster, crumpling it up, and tossing it into a nearby garbage can before silently walking away, as was noted in the Post report. The location of the incident is in a heavily Jewish neighborhood, adding to the sensitivity of the situation.
The incident has garnered mixed reactions from the public, with some expressing outrage and concern over the removal of posters depicting the kidnapped individuals. The Post report said that former Broadway producer Adam Epstein, who hosts the podcast “Dirty Moderate,” voiced his dismay, stating, “You’re going to a dark and devious place if you’ve come to a place where you’re ripping posters off the wall of Israeli hostages, of innocent people held captive by terrorists.”
James L. Simon, who has also produced Broadway revivals of “Pippin” and “Bells Are Ringing,” provided an explanation for his actions, asserting that he removed the posters with the intention of keeping the city’s streets clean, rather than for any anti-Semitic reasons, the Post report said. He emphasized that he supports free speech and encourages people to express their opinions but believes that such expression should be conducted legally and in accordance with city Sanitation Department rules.
The incident involving Simon is not an isolated case, as videos of New Yorkers tearing down similar posters have emerged across the city. As was reported by the Post, individuals from various backgrounds, including a New York University student, teenagers on the Upper East Side, and even a Brooklyn husband-wife couple, have been caught on camera removing these posters.
In a separate but related matter, a Gotham Tech High School math teacher, Mohammad Jehad Ahmad, has come under scrutiny for his pro-Hamas and anti-Israel views. Ahmad has been engaged in heated debates on social media platforms and was criticized for rationalizing genocide in the context of the October 7th attacks on Israel.
He referred to the country as “so-called ‘Israel.’”
The Post also reported that on Friday, he wrote on X, “I should be thanking [The Post] for their white-supremacist hit pieces.”
“The amount of solidarity I’ve found from people & students from all walks of life is ‘rejuvenating,’” he continued.
Ahmad’s inflammatory comments, which he has staunchly defended, have raised concerns and triggered discussions about the boundaries of free speech, especially within an educational context. The Post report said that he has also used derogatory language against Schools Chancellor David Banks, referring to him as a “white supremacist, imperialist scumbag.”
